Heating system for heating a living being

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a heating system for heating a living being, for instance, a person ( 2 ) within a vehicle ( 1 ) being preferentially a hybrid car or an electric car. The heating system comprises an infrared laser system ( 5, 6 ) for illuminating the living being with infrared laser light, thereby heating the living being. Thus, heating radiation is used, which has a high collimation and which can be focused relatively easily. The heating can therefore be confined to a certain region, in which the living being is located. The heating can even be confined to the living being or to parts of the living being only. This more focused heating allows for a reduction of the energy consumption.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C.§ 371 of International Application No. PCT/IB2013/050415, filed on Jan.17, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.61/587,170, filed on Jan. 17, 2012. These applications are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a heating system, a heating method and aheating computer program for heating a living being. The inventionrelates further to a camera system and a driver assist system forcooperating with the heating system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

US 2010/0187211 A1 discloses a vehicle cabin heating system. An infraredheater heats a target surface in front of the infrared heater within avehicle cabin interior space, wherein a temperature sensor disposed infront of the infrared heater detects a temperature. A controller isoperatively coupled to the infrared heater, in order to selectivelyoperate the infrared heater to a target surface temperature within thevehicle cabin interior space, whenever an estimated surface temperatureof a target surface, which is determined based on the detectedtemperature, falls below a prescribed temperature range below the targetsurface temperature. This kind of heating the vehicle cabin consumesmuch energy.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a heating system, aheating method and a heating computer program for heating a livingbeing, which allow reducing the energy consumed for heating the livingbeing. It is a further object of the present invention to provide acamera system and a driver assist system for cooperating with theheating system.

In a first aspect of the present invention a heating system for heatinga living being is presented, wherein the heating system comprises aninfrared laser system for illuminating the living being with infraredlaser light, thereby heating the living being.

Since the heating system comprises a laser system for illuminating theliving being with infrared laser light, heating radiation is used, whichhas a high collimation and which can be focused relatively easily. Theheating can therefore be confined to a certain region, in which theliving being is located. The heating can even be confined to the livingbeing or to parts of the living being only. For instance, the heatingcan be confined to very temperature sensitive parts of a person like theface or the feet of the person. This more focused heating within thevehicle allows for a reduction of the energy consumed by heating theinterior of the vehicle.

The living being is preferentially a person, wherein the infrared lasersystem is preferentially adapted such that by heating the person thewell being of the person is increased. However, the living being canalso be an animal or a plant.

The infrared laser system can comprise one or several infrared lasers.In particular, the infrared laser system can comprise several infraredlasers for illuminating the living being in different directions.Preferentially, the infrared laser system comprises one or severalvertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). VCSELs are relativelycompact and small and can easily be arranged at different locationswithin, for instance, a cabin of a vehicle. For example, several VCSELscan easily be arranged at different locations within a car, in order toilluminate a person from different directions.

The heating system is preferentially adapted to be used for heating aperson in a vehicle. The vehicle preferentially comprises a window,wherein the infrared laser system can comprise one or several infraredlasers being adapted to be located next to the window. The infraredlaser system can be adapted to heat also the window, in particular, foravoiding condensation on the window. The window is, for instance, awindshield of the vehicle.

For heating the window it can be illuminated with infrared laser lightof the infrared laser system. For instance, the infrared laser systemcan comprise several infrared lasers, wherein some infrared lasers canbe controlled to illuminate the window and other infrared lasers can becontrolled to illuminate the person. Alternatively, the infrared lasersystem can be controlled to illuminate the window in a first operationalstate and to illuminate the person in a second operational state,wherein a user can switch between the two operational states or whereinit can be switched automatically between the two operational states. Theinfrared laser system can be adapted to couple the infrared laser lightinto the window which may act as a light guide. Within the window thelight is guided by total internal reflection, wherein the total internalreflection may be frustrated by ice or water condensation on the windowsuch that light outcoupling is high at regions where heating is needed.Additionally, parts of the window can be adapted ensure that light iscoupled out of the window at desired locations by frustrated totalinternal reflection. Moreover, the infrared laser system can be adaptedto heat the window by using the waste heat of the infrared laser system.For instance, a heat conducting connection can be provided between thewindow and the infrared laser system for transferring the waste heatfrom the infrared laser system to the window. This heat conductingconnection can be a metal connection. Furthermore, the infrared lasersystem can comprise a cooling unit for cooling the infrared lasersystem, wherein the heated exhausted air of the cooling unit of theinfrared laser system can be directed to the window for heating thewindow.

The infrared laser system is preferentially adapted to illuminate theliving being with near or far infrared light. Moreover, the infraredlaser system can be adapted to provide a 300 W heating.

It is also preferred that the infrared laser system comprises an array,in particular, a line, of infrared lasers. Preferentially, the array ofinfrared lasers is bonded to a flexible substrate. An array, inparticular, a line, of infrared lasers bonded to a flexible substratecan relatively easily be arranged at desired locations within, forexample, a cabin of a vehicle. For instance, one or several lines ofinfrared lasers can be arranged at the borders of a windshield of avehicle.

The living being is preferentially a person within a vehicle, whereinthe vehicle comprises a feet region, in which the feet of the person areto be located, wherein the infrared laser system is adapted to bearranged next to or within the feet region for illuminating the feet ofthe person with infrared laser light.

In a preferred embodiment, the heating system further comprises a) apresence signal providing unit for providing a presence signal beingindicative of whether a living being is present such that the livingbeing is illuminatable by the infrared light from the infrared lasersystem and b) a control unit for controlling the infrared laser systemdepending on the presence signal. The presence signal providing unit ispreferentially an image providing unit for providing an image of theliving being as the presence signal such that the control unit ispreferentially adapted to control the infrared laser system depending onthe provided image. The image providing unit comprises preferentially acamera system for acquiring an image from the living being. The camerasystem is preferentially adapted to detect infrared light reflected fromthe living being for acquiring the image. The camera system comprises,for example, a charge-couple device (CCD) camera or a complementarymetal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera. The camera can also be athermal camera.

The presence signal providing unit can also be another unit forproviding a presence signal like a motion sensor or a receiving unit forreceiving the presence signal, in particular, an image from a camerasystem, via a wired or wireless data connection and for providing thereceived presence signal.

It is further preferred that the control unit is adapted to determinewhether a living being is present such that the living being can beilluminated by the infrared light from the infrared laser systemdepending on the presence signal, in particular, depending on theprovided image, and to control the infrared laser system to provide theinfrared laser light, if the control unit has determined that the livingbeing is present, in particular, located within a vehicle, such that theliving being can be illuminated by the infrared light. The heatingsystem can therefore be adapted to heat regions of, for instance, acabin of a vehicle, to which the infrared laser light is to be directed,only if in these regions a living being is really present. This furtherreduces the energy consumption.

The presence signal can be further indicative of the location of theliving being to be heated, wherein the control unit can be adapted todetermine the location of the living being depending on the providedpresence signal and to control the infrared laser system to provide theinfrared laser light to the determined location of the living being. Theinfrared laser system can comprise laser optics for dynamicallydirecting the laser light to the location of the living being. Theinfrared laser light can therefore be directed to the living being, evenif the living being moves.

In an embodiment the presence signal providing unit is an imageproviding unit for providing an image of the living being as thepresence signal, wherein the control unit is adapted to detectpredefined regions on the living being from the provided image and tocontrol the infrared laser system to provide the infrared laser light tothe detected predefined regions. The predefined regions are, forexample, most heat sensitive body parts like the face or the hands. Thepredefined regions can also be bare skin regions, which can be detectedin the acquired image. Since not the entire living being is illuminatedwith infrared laser light, but only certain predefined regions, inparticular, predefined highly heat sensitive regions of the livingbeing, the energy consumption can be further reduced.

The control unit can also be adapted to determine a temperature valuebeing indicative of a temperature of the living being from the providedimage and to control the infrared laser system depending on thedetermined temperature value. For instance, the control unit can beadapted to analyze the provided image for detecting a reaction of theskin of a person on the infrared light. In an embodiment, it isdetected, for instance, whether blood supply is increased by theradiation. Since the blood supply is related to temperature, therespective blood supply value can be regarded as being a temperaturevalue, which can be used by the control unit to adjust the infraredheat.

It is further preferred that the living being is a driver of a vehicle,wherein the heating system comprises an attention signal providing unitfor providing an attention signal, if the driver's attention is to beattracted, and a control unit for controlling the infrared laser systemdepending on the provided attention signal. For instance, the attentionsignal providing unit can be a driver assist system like a lanedeparture system or a pre-collision warning system, wherein theattention signal providing unit can provide an attention signal, if thelane has been departed or a collision is likely to occur. The attentionsignal providing unit can be such a driver assist system or it can be areceiving unit, which receives a corresponding attention signal from adriver assist system and which provides this received attention signal.The attention signal is preferentially an electrical signal havingpredefined characteristics or which is provided only through apredefined channel such that the electrical signal can be identified asbeing an attention signal. Thus, if a dangerous situation has beendetected, the attention of the driver can be achieved by directing, forinstance, pulses of heat to the driver.

The heating system can further comprise a temperature sensor for sensingan ambient temperature like a temperature within a vehicle, wherein thecontrol unit can be adapted to control the infrared laser systemdepending on the sensed temperature. The heating system can alsocomprise an input unit allowing a user to input a desired temperature,wherein the control unit can be adapted to control the infrared lasersystem depending on the input desired temperature and optionallydepending on the measured temperature.

In a further aspect of the present invention a camera system forcooperating with a heating system is presented, wherein the heatingsystem comprises a control unit for controlling the infrared lasersystem depending on a presence signal, wherein the camera system isadapted to acquire an image of the living being and to send the acquiredimage as the presence signal to the heating system for allowing thecontrol unit of the heating system to control the infrared laser systemof the heating system depending on the acquired image.

In a further aspect of the present invention a driver assist system forcooperating with a heating system is presented, wherein the driverassist system is adapted to detect a dangerous situation, to generate anattention signal, if a dangerous situation has been detected, and tosend the attention signal to the heating system, in order to allow thecontrol unit of the heating system to control the infrared laser systemof the heating system depending on the attention signal.

In a further aspect of the present invention a vehicle comprising aheating system as defined in claim 1 is presented. The vehicle comprisespreferentially an electric motor for driving the vehicle. In anembodiment, the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle or a pure electric vehicle.Preferentially, the heating system comprises several infrared lasersbeing distributed within the vehicle. The infrared lasers arepreferentially distributed over dimensions covering a significant partof the space within the vehicle. The significant part has preferentiallya minimum length of 15 cm in at least one direction. The severalinfrared lasers can be arranged in lines located at the borders of awindshield of the vehicle.

In a further aspect of the present invention a heating method forheating a living being is presented, wherein the heating methodcomprises illuminating the living being with infrared laser light by aninfrared laser system, thereby heating the living being.

In a further aspect of the present invention a heating computer programfor heating a living being is presented, wherein the heating computerprogram comprises program code means for causing a heating system asdefined in claim 1 to carry out the heating method as defined in claim14, when the computer program is run on a computer controlling theheating system.

It shall be understood that the heating system of claim 1, the camerasystem of claim 10, the driver assist system of claim 11, the vehicle ofclaim 12, the heating method of claim 14 and the heating computerprogram of claim 15 have similar and/or identical preferred embodiments,in particular, as defined in the dependent claims.

It shall be understood that a preferred embodiment of the invention canalso be any combination of the dependent claims with the respectiveindependent claim.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from andelucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following drawings:

FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a vehicle,

FIG. 2 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a heatingsystem for heating a living being within the vehicle,

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart exemplarily illustrating an embodiment of aheating method for heating the living being within the vehicle, and

FIG. 4 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a windowdisplay with a heating system for heating a person in front of thewindow display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows schematically and exemplarily an embodiment of a vehicle 1comprising a heating system 22 for heating a living being 2 being, inthis embodiment, a person within the vehicle 1. The heating system,which is schematically and exemplarily shown in more detail in FIG. 2,comprises an infrared laser system 5, 6 for illuminating the person 2located within the vehicle 1 with infrared laser light 12, 15, therebyheating the person 2. The vehicle 1 is a hybrid car or an electric carcomprising an electric motor 16 for driving the vehicle.

In this embodiment, the infrared laser system comprises two groups 5, 6of infrared lasers, a first group 5 located close to a head region 21within the vehicle 1, in which the head 20 of the person 2 is to belocated, and a second group 6 close to a feet region 10 within thevehicle 1, in which the feet 11 of the person 2 are to be located.

The two groups 5, 6 of infrared lasers can each be arranged in a line,which may be straight or curved. The several lasers of the groups 5, 6of the infrared laser system illuminate the person 2 in differentdirections and are VCSELs.

The first group 5 of lasers is located next to a windshield 9 of thevehicle 1. For instance, it can be arranged next to or at the border ofthe windshield 9, i.e. directly above, below or at the side of thewindshield 9. The first group 5 of lasers can be adapted to illuminatealso the windshield 9 with infrared light, in order to avoidcondensation on the windshield 9. Moreover, alternatively or in additionthe first group 5 of lasers can be adapted to direct waste heatgenerated by the lasers to the windshield 9, in order to avoidcondensation on the windshield 9. Furthermore, a cooling unit of theinfrared laser system can produce heated exhausted air, which can bedirected to the window for heating the window. The second group 6 oflasers is arranged next to or within the feet region 10 for illuminatingthe feet 11 of the person 2 with the infrared laser light.

The infrared laser system 5, 6 is adapted to illuminate the person 2with near infrared light 12, 15 having a wavelength within thewavelength region of, for instance, 850 to 1400 nm. Moreover, theinfrared laser system 5, 6 is adapted to provide a heating of about 300W. In other embodiments, the infrared laser system can also be adaptedto illuminate the person 2 with infrared laser light within anotherwavelength range. For instance, the person 2 can be illuminated with farinfrared light. Furthermore, in another embodiment the infrared lasersystem can be adapted to provide another heating power being larger orsmaller than 300 W.

The good collimation of the laser radiation enables the heating systemfor confined heating of the relevant parts of the person and at the sametime allows distributing the laser sources over a wide area. Theadvantage of distributing the sources over a wide area is twofold: Firstof all it distributes the waste heat produced in the lasers thusfacilitating cooling as well as a secondary use of the waste heat, forexample, for heating the window. Secondly it helps significantly tocomply with laser safety standards as laser radiation coming from adistributed source causes much less harm as it cannot be refocused on asingle point.

The person 2 is a driver sitting on a seat 3 and steering the vehicle 1by using a steering wheel 4. The heating system 22 comprises a camerasystem 7 being an image providing unit for providing an image of theperson 2, if the person 2 is sitting on the seat 3. The camera system 7is adapted to detect infrared light 14 reflected from the person 2 foracquiring the image. The camera system 7 comprises, for example, a CCDcamera or a CMOS camera. The heating system 22 further comprises acontrol unit 13, which is schematically and exemplarily shown in FIG. 2.The control unit 13 is adapted to control the infrared laser system 5, 6depending on the acquired image. In particular, the control unit 13 isadapted to determine whether the person 2 is located within the vehicle1 such that the person 2 can be illuminated by the infrared light fromthe infrared laser system 5, 6 depending on the acquired image, i.e. thecontrol unit 13 is adapted to determine whether the person 2 sits on theseat 3. The control unit 13 is further adapted to control the infraredlaser system 5, 6 such that the infrared laser light is provided, if thecontrol unit 13 has determined that the person 2 is located within thevehicle 1 such that the person 2 can be illuminated by the infraredlaser light. Thus, the illumination with infrared laser light can beswitched on or off depending on whether a person is sitting in front ofthe infrared laser system 5, 6.

In another embodiment this information about whether a person is presentwithin the vehicle or not can also be obtained from another presencesignal providing unit like a separate car management system. Forinstance, the control unit can be adapted to control the infrared lasersystem to provide the infrared laser light, if the control unit hasreceived a signal from the car management system indicating that aliving being is present within the vehicle and can be illuminated by theinfrared laser light. For example, the car management system can receivethe information whether a person is sitting on a certain seat from, forinstance, pressure sensitive sensors incorporated within the respectiveseat, wherein this information can be provided to the control unit. Thispressure sensitive sensor can also be regarded as being a presencesignal providing unit.

The control unit 13 is further adapted to detect predefined regions onthe person 2 from the acquired image and to control the first group 5 oflasers such that the infrared laser light is provided to the detectedpredefined regions. The predefined regions are, for example, heatsensitive body parts like the face or the hands. The predefined regionscan also be bare skin regions, which can be detected in the acquiredimage. The infrared laser system preferentially comprises infraredoptics for directing the infrared laser light to the detected predefinedregions, wherein the infrared optics are controlled by the control unit13 for directing the laser light to the detected predefined regions. Fordetecting the predefined regions in the acquired image known imageprocessing techniques, in particular, segmentation techniques likethresholding and comparisons with known shapes of the predefined regionscan be used.

The control unit 13 is further adapted to determine a temperature valuebeing indicative of a temperature of the person 2 from the acquiredimage and to control the infrared laser system depending on thedetermined temperature value. In this embodiment, the control unit 13 isadapted to analyze the acquired image, in order to detect the reactionof the skin of the person 2 on the infrared light. It is detectedwhether the blood supply is increased by the infrared radiation, whereina value can be generated being indicative of the increased blood supply.Since the blood supply is related to temperature, the generated value isa temperature value being indicative of the temperature of the person 2,wherein this temperature value can be used for adjusting the infraredheat applied to the person 2.

For example, the control unit 13 can be adapted to use the softwarealgorithms of the software Vital Signs Camera of the company Philips,which detect small variations in blood flow from an image acquired by acamera. In another embodiment, the control unit and the lasers can beadapted to determine the blood flow by investigating the laser lightbeing scattered back from the skin as disclosed in the article “AComparative Study for the Assessment on Blood Flow Measurement UsingSelf-Mixing Laser Speckle Interferometer” by S. K. Ozdemir et al., IEEETransactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, volume 57, issue 2,pages 353 to 363 (2008), which is herewith incorporated by reference. Inparticular, a Doppler shift of the scattered light with respect toundisturbed laser light can be determined, wherein the amount of photonshaving a Doppler shift can be a measure for total blood perfusion. Thus,a reaction of the skin exposed to the infrared light can be detected andthe intensity of the infrared laser light can be adjusted accordingly.

The heating system further comprises an attention signal providing unit8 for providing an attention signal, if the driver's attention should beattracted, wherein the control unit 13 is adapted to control theinfrared laser system 5, 6 depending on the provided attention signal.In this embodiment, the attention signal providing unit 8 is driverassist system such as a lane departure system or a pre-collision warningsystem, which is adapted to provide an attention signal, if the lane hasbeen departed or if a collision could occur. The control unit 13 ispreferentially adapted to control the infrared laser system 5, 6 todirect pulses of heat to the driver 2, if it receives an attentionsignal from the driver assist system 8, in order to attract theattention of the driver 2, if a dangerous situation is detected. Thepulses of heat directed to the driver 2 for attracting the driver'sattention should of course be sensible by the driver 2, but not damagethe driver's skin. The infrared laser system 5, 6 is thereforepreferentially operated at a predefined safety level such that the skinis not damaged, i.e. such that the energy level of the heat pulses doesnot cause too high skin temperatures. In an embodiment, the heat pulsesare directed towards the driver with a relatively low frequency between0.1 to 10 Hz, in order to attract the driver's attention.

The heating system 22 further comprises temperature sensors 17, 18 formeasuring the temperature in the head region 21 and the feet region 10,respectively. The measured temperatures are provided to the control unit13 for allowing the control unit 13 to control the infrared laser system5, 6 under consideration of the temperature within the cabin of thevehicle. The heating system 22 further comprises an input unit 19, whichmay be a part of the control unit 13 or which may be a separate unit.The input unit allows a user to input a desired temperature, wherein thecontrol unit 13 is adapted to control the infrared laser system 5, 6depending on the input desired temperature. In an embodiment, differentpersons can input different desired temperatures, wherein the controlunit 13 is adapted to individually control the infrared laser system 5,6 such that each person is heated as desired. The control unit 13 cancomprise control rules defining characteristics of the infrared laserlight like the intensity, the wavelength, the emission direction, etcetera depending on the measured cabin temperature, the desiredtemperature, an optional further information obtained from, forinstance, a camera system and/or a driver assist system.

In the following an embodiment of a heating method for heating a livingbeing will exemplarily be described with reference to a flowchart shownin FIG. 3.

In step 101, the infrared laser system illuminates the interior of thevehicle and the camera system acquires an image of the interior of thevehicle. In step 102, the control unit determines whether persons arelocated within the vehicle. In particular, the control unit determinesin front of which infrared lasers a person is present. If persons arenot present in front of any laser, a heating is not necessary and theheating method ends in step 107. In step 103, the control unit detectspredefined regions on the persons from the acquired image. Inparticular, the control unit detects most heat sensitive body parts likethe face or the hands. The predefined regions can also be bare skinregions, which can be detected in the acquired image. Moreover, in step104 the persons within the vehicle can input desired temperatures viathe input unit and in step 105 the temperature sensors measure thetemperatures within the cabin of the vehicle. In step 106, the controlunit controls the infrared laser system such that only lasers areactivated, in front of which really a part of a person is present.Moreover, the control unit controls the infrared laser light emitted bythe infrared laser system by using control rules definingcharacteristics of the infrared laser light depending on the inputdesired temperature, the measured temperature within the cabin and thelocations of the detected predefined regions like the locations of theface and the hands of the person. Steps 101 to 106 can be performed in aloop such that the control of the infrared laser system can be updated,if a new image is acquired by the camera system, if the desiredtemperature has been modified via the input unit or if the temperaturewithin the cabin measured by the temperature sensors has been changed.

It should be noted that the described heating method is only anexemplary embodiment of a heating method for heating a living beingwithin a vehicle. In other embodiments the heating method can compriseother steps describing the heating of a living being within the vehicleby using infrared laser light of an infrared laser system. For instance,the infrared laser system can be controlled depending on an attentionsignal of a driver assist system, the acquired image can be used forgenerating a temperature value, which may be related to an increase ofblood supply caused by the infrared radiation, wherein the infraredlaser system can be controlled based on the temperature value, theheating method can be stopped after a corresponding input into the inputunit by a user, et cetera.

According to the article “Assessment of man's thermal comfort inpractice” by P. O. Fanger, British Journal of Industrial Medicine,volume 30, pages 313 to 324 (1973) thermal comfort depends on fourfactors: a) the temperature of air around the person, b) the airvelocity, c) the radiation temperature of the surrounding and d) theclothing. Thermal comfort in modern cars is ensured by automatic climatesystems. These systems adjust the air temperature and the air velocityinside the compartment of the car. Since the car body itself is usuallyaround five degrees colder due to strong convective cooling induced bythe driving velocity, the air temperature inside the car often needs tobe significantly higher than for instance a comfortable air temperaturein a house.

Fortunately heat is omnipresent in conventional combustion-engine cars.Only 30 percent of the energy contained in the fuel is transformed intomechanical energy to drive the car. The remaining 70 percent is wastedenergy released in the form of heat. It is straightforward to use partof this heat and redirect it into the vehicle's compartment heating upthe air.

Electric vehicles have, however, a very good conversion ratio ofelectrical to mechanical energy. And, as a side effect, heating energyis not abundantly present anymore. Hence systems to heat up the car'scompartment need to be electrified as well. Unfortunately these electricheating systems are so energy demanding that the battery is drainedquickly, reducing the range of car. In extreme cases the reduction isreported to be 30 percent, which is not acceptable given the limitedrange of these vehicles.

For solving this problem in known electric cars most heating systems areequipped with a so-called super economic mode. Set in this mode, theclimate system reduces its energy demand at the cost of thermal comfortinside the compartment.

The heating system described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 usesinfrared laser light, in particular, near infrared laser light, insteadof, for instance, hot air, which is often used in climate systems. Thefeeling of thermal comfort can be realized with less power, wherein thesolution is highly directive, i.e. only areas are heated, which reallyneed to be heated, and the effect is instantaneous. The heating systemis adapted to directly heat up the persons inside the vehicle. It can beadapted to avoid heating up the air around the passengers, but to stillcreate a comfortable climate, thereby reducing the energy requirement ofthe heating system to an acceptable level given the limited batterycapacity on board.

The heating system preferentially makes use of arrays of lasers. Theselasers emit infrared light, which can be conveniently used to heat upthe skin of a passenger. In this way heat losses of the passenger candirectly be compensated, thus making the person feel comfortablealthough the compartment's temperature is low. Moreover, the energy canbe directed to those body parts where the body's own generated heat islost the fastest like the face, avoiding a decrease in local skintemperature. Another advantage of the heating system is that theradiative heat creates a comfortable situation instant on, which isespecially important for the expected use of electric cars on shortdistances.

The heating system preferentially uses near infrared radiation providedby VCSELs. VCSELs offer a low cost and efficient source of near infraredlaser radiation. Collimated output allows directionality and the smallform factor enables integration in the car interior. The heating systempreferentially provides a distributed VCSEL solution minimizing safetyconcerns and allowing an additional use of waste heat rather thanrequiring specific cooling.

The air temperature can be kept low without losing thermal comfort. Forinstance, at 300 W per person infrared heat, the air temperature may be10 degrees lower than currently needed for feeling comfortable. Theheating system is preferentially a personalized heating system, wherethe driver as well as the passenger can personally decide what level ofheating they want and experience as comfortable. Thus, to differentpersons within the vehicle different lasers can be directed, which canbe controlled independently from each other by the control unit suchthat each person can be heated as desired.

The near infrared light of the lasers has a relatively good penetrationdepth in skin. This has the advantage that the skin is heated in alarger layer, increasing the thermal comfort feeling and avoiding toohigh skin temperatures.

Several locations in the interior can be considered. In case of twofront seats, a mounting of VCSEL arrays directly next to the frontwindshield is a preferred place. Here, a good opening angle towards thetwo front passengers is available, and additional heat generated by thelasers can be easily redirected to increase the temperature of thewindow slightly, thus avoiding condensation. Moreover, the VCSELs arepreferentially distributed over a large area. First benefit is that noactive cooling is needed as in a more concentrated laser system. Secondadvantage is that laser radiation coming not from a single opening butfrom many angles easily fulfils laser safety considerations. Preferredpackages are long and flexible lines of many lasers as, for instance,also used for light emitting diodes.

Another preferred mounting position is close to the driver's feet. Asthese are normally at a well defined position it is easy to direct justa small amount of laser radiation to them. In addition the “frozen”position of the feet makes them especially sensitive to thermaldiscomfort increasing the value of the laser solution.

Since the heating system is very compact and can easily be integrated invarious places, it is also very well suited in the aftermarket forinstantaneous heating as provided by a pre-heating of cars.

The laser light is invisible to the human eye. Hence, the laser light ismerely perceived as heat and does not disturb vision of the driver andpassengers. The heating system described above with reference to FIGS. 1and 2 provides an advantageous combination with a camera systemdetecting the position of the passengers, which is an option for futurecars also for improved safety. Near infrared light can be detected bystandard CCD and CMOS cameras. In combination with a camera the nearinfrared light of the lasers can be made visible and switched on or offin case a person is sitting in front of the arrays. At the same time inthe camera image most heat sensitive body parts can be recognized suchas face, bare skin or hands. The light pattern of the lasers can beadjusted such that only these parts are heated. Since the heating systemis preferentially instantaneous and lasers offer the unique possibilityto change its light and thus heating pattern, the heating system ispreferentially used to attract the driver's attention, in particular,depending on a dangerous situation detected by a driver assist system.

Although in the embodiment of the heating system described above withreference to FIGS. 1 and 2 the heating system comprises a camera systemand a driver assist system, in other embodiments the heating system maynot comprise the camera system or the driver assist system. Moreover,the heating system may be adapted to cooperate with a separate camerasystem and/or a separate driver assist system, wherein the separatecamera system is adapted to acquire an image of the living being and tosend the acquired image to the heating system for allowing the controlunit of the heating system to control the infrared laser system of theheating system depending on the acquired image and wherein the driverassist system is adapted to detect a dangerous situation, to generate anattention signal, if a dangerous situation has been detected, and tosend the attention signal to the heating system, in order to allow thecontrol unit of the heating system to control the infrared laser systemof the heating system depending on the attention signal. In this casethe image providing unit of the heating system can be a receiving unitfor receiving the image from the camera system and for providing thereceived image to the control unit and the attention signal providingunit can be a receiving unit for receiving the attention signal from thedriver assist system and for providing the received attention signal tothe control unit of the heating system.

The control unit can be adapted to determine a spatially-dependenttemperature value, wherein for different regions of the person visiblein the image acquired by the camera system different temperature valuescan be determined. In this case, the control unit can be adapted tolocally control the different lasers of the infrared laser systemdepending on—inter alia—the spatially-dependent temperature value.

Although in FIG. 1 the first group 5 of infrared lasers is shown onlyabove the windshield 9, in other embodiments the first group 5 ofinfrared lasers can also be arranged at another location within thevehicle. Moreover, also additional groups of infrared lasers can bearranged within the vehicle. For instance, lines of infrared lasers canbe arranged along the upper border, the lower border and/or the lateralborders of the windshield. Also the second group 6 of infrared laserscan be arranged at another location.

FIG. 4 shows schematically and exemplarily a further embodiment of aheating system for heating a living being. In this embodiment, theheating system 222 is arranged above a display window 223 at or withinan overhang 225. However, in other embodiments the heating system canalso be arranged at another location. The heating system 222 is adaptedto heat a person 202 standing in front of the window display 223. In aspace 226 behind the window display 223 objects are located (not shownin FIG. 4) which are displayed. The heating system 222 comprises aninfrared laser system 205 being controlled by a control unit 213.Infrared laser light 224 emitted by the infrared laser system 205 isreflected by the person 202, wherein the reflected light 227 is detectedby a camera system 207. Moreover, the ambient temperature is measured bya temperature sensor 217. The control unit 213 receives the ambienttemperature from the temperature sensor 217 and the image from thecamera system 207, in order to allow the control unit 213 to control theinfrared laser system 205 depending on the ambient temperature and theacquired image.

The control of the infrared laser system 205 depending on the ambienttemperature and the acquired image can be similar to the control of theheating system within the vehicle described above with reference toFIGS. 1 to 3. For instance, also the control unit 213 can be adapted todetect predefined regions on the person like the face or other bare skinregions from the acquired image and to control the infrared laser system205 to provide the infrared laser light to the detected predefinedregions. Alternatively or in addition, also the control unit 213 can beadapted to determine a temperature value being indicative of atemperature of the person 202 from the acquired image and to control theinfrared laser system 205 depending on the determined temperature value.

The heating system can be integrated in or around the display window.When a person is detected standing in front of the window, for instance,by the camera system or another presence sensor, the infrared lasersystem can be switched on, by which heat is instantaneously sent towardsthe person in front of the window. The directionality of the laser beamscan be adjusted by, for example, a lens system, a scanning minor system,or lasers spread around the window, and directed to heat up the bodyparts that are typically cold, for example, the face, the hands or anyother uncovered body parts. In this way a thermal comfortable situationcan be created instantaneously and flexibly. Thermal comfort is expectedto be especially increased, since near-infrared radiation penetrates theskin. In this way too high skin temperatures are avoided, while heatloss is still compensated for.

In an embodiment, the heating system is adapted to increase the laserpower to a higher level than required for a neutral, i.e. neither coldnor warm, thermal environment. The infrared laser system can also becombined with light emitting diodes for providing further directedillumination. By using the infrared laser system with increased laserpower and optionally further direct illumination from light emittingdiodes the thermal condition of being exposed to the sun on a sunny daycan be mimicked. Direct sunlight with its directed radiation heat is byhumans sensed as very pleasing. To mimic the thermal conditions of asunny day (1000 W/m²), radiation with a power within a range of 10 to 20W may be directed to the face of a person.

The heating system can also be adapted to be used in anotherenvironment. For instance the heating system can be integrated into abus shelter. It is obviously not economical to provide a thermal neutralenvironment in a bus shelter by, for example, hot air. The bus shelteris very irregularly occupied in time and by design has an open structurefor quick shelter and for people to feel safe. The laser heating systemcan be adapted to provide the heat instantaneous, avoiding heat up timesof conventional heating methods, and to aim its heat directly andoptionally only to the cold bodies.

The heating system can also be adapted to be used for, for instance,heating for outdoor sport bench, heating in outdoor areas assigned tosmokers, personalized heating in an open fridge or freezer sections of asupermarket, heating person in ski lifts, heating in entrance regionsof, for example, big stores et cetera. These situations are similar inthat the occupation level is very dynamic, and by design an open, i.e.open to the outdoor, colder environment is required. Therefore heatingby conventional means such as hot air is not economical due to the largeheat losses to the environment.

It should be noted that the figures are only schematic figures, whichare not to scale. For instance, the groups 5, 6 of infrared lasers are,relative to the size of the vehicle, smaller than the correspondingboxes 5, 6 shown in FIG. 1.

Although in the above described embodiments it is assumed that one orseveral persons are present, wherein the heating system is adapted toheat the one or several persons, in other embodiments the living beingcan also be an animal or a plant, which needs to be heated. Moreover,although in above described embodiments the vehicle is a car, in otherembodiments the vehicle can also be another apparatus for incorporatingand moving living beings like a bus, a truck, a ship, a plane, etcetera.

Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood andeffected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimedinvention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and theappended claims.

In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements orsteps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude aplurality.

A single unit or device may fulfill the functions of several itemsrecited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recitedin mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that acombination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Operations like the determination whether a person is located in frontof a laser array, the detection of predefined regions of the person, thedetermination of a temperature value based on an acquired image, etcetera performed by one or several units or devices can be performed byany other number of units or devices. For example, steps 101 and 103 canbe performed by a single unit or by any other number of different units.The operations and/or the control of the heating system in accordancewith the heating method can be implemented as program code means of acomputer program and/or as dedicated hardware.

A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, suchas an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium, supplied togetherwith or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in otherforms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wirelesstelecommunication systems.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A heating system, comprising: an infraredlaser system including one or more infrared lasers disposed in a vehicleand configured to illuminate and heat a living being disposed within thevehicle with infrared laser light, wherein the illuminating of theliving being with the infrared laser light is confined to a location ofthe living being by a collimation of the infrared laser light; and acontrol unit configured to control the infrared laser system in responseto a presence signal indicating the presence of the living being withinthe vehicle such that the living being is illuminatable by the infraredlaser light from the one or more infrared lasers, wherein the presencesignal is generated in response to an image produced from infrared lightreflected from the living being in response to the infrared laser light,wherein the heating system is configured to detect predefined regions ofthe living being from the image by performing comparisons of the imagewith known shapes of the predefined regions, and to direct the infraredlaser light to the predefined regions of the living being which aredetected from the image.
 2. The heating system of claim 1, wherein theinfrared laser system comprises one or more vertical-cavitysurface-emitting lasers.
 3. The heating system of claim 1, furthercomprising: a presence signal providing unit for providing the presencesignal, wherein the presence signal is indicative of whether the livingbeing is present such that the living being is illuminatable by theinfrared light from the infrared laser system, wherein the presencesignal providing unit comprises a camera configured to detect theinfrared light reflected from the living being in response to theinfrared laser light and to provide the image from the detected infraredlight.
 4. The heating system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes awindow and wherein at least one of the infrared lasers is alsoconfigured to illuminate the window.
 5. The heating system of claim 4,wherein the at least one infrared laser is configured to switch, inresponse to a user control, between illuminating the window andilluminating the living being.
 6. The heating system of claim 1, whereinthe living being is a driver of the vehicle, wherein the heating systemcomprises an attention signal providing unit for providing an attentionsignal, if the driver's attention is to be attracted, wherein thecontrol unit further controls the one or more infrared lasers dependingon the provided attention signal.
 7. A driver assist system forcooperating with the heating system of claim 6, wherein the driverassist system is adapted to detect a dangerous driving situation,generate an attention signal, if a dangerous driving situation has beendetected, and send the attention signal to the heating system, in orderto allow the control unit of the heating system to control the infraredlaser system of the heating system depending on the presence of theattention signal.
 8. The heating system of claim 1, wherein the vehicleincludes a window, the heating unit further comprising: a cooling unitconfigured to cool the one or more infrared lasers, wherein heatedexhausted air of the cooling unit is directed to the window so as toheat the window.
 9. The heating system of claim 1, wherein thepredefined regions comprise bare skin regions of the living being. 10.The heating system of claim 1, wherein the predefined regions include aface and hands of the living being.
 11. The heating system of claim 1,wherein the one or more lasers include a plurality of vertical-cavitysurface-emitting lasers disposed at different locations than each otherwithin the vehicle and being configured to illuminate the living beingfrom a plurality of different directions.
 12. A method, comprising:illuminating a living being with infrared laser light produced by aninfrared laser system, wherein the illuminating of the living being isconfined to a location of the living being by collimation of theinfrared laser light; detecting infrared light reflected from the livingbeing in response to the infrared laser light; acquiring an image fromthe detected infrared light reflected from the living being; detectingpredefined regions of the living being from the image by performingcomparisons of the image with known shapes of the predefined regions;and directing the infrared laser light to the predefined regions on theliving being which are detected from the image to the predefined regionsof the living being.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predefinedregions comprise bare skin regions of the living being.
 14. The methodof claim 12, wherein the predefined regions include a face and hands ofthe living being.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the infrared lasersystem is disposed in a vehicle which includes a window, the methodfurther comprising: illuminating the living being with the infraredlaser system when the infrared laser system is in a first operationalstate; and illuminating the window with the infrared laser system so asto heat the window when the infrared laser system is in a secondoperational state, wherein the infrared laser system automaticallyswitches between the first operational state and the second operationalstate.